Sportshour

Over 3,000 women watched the Iranian national team beat Cambodia at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran after they were officially allowed to attend a football match for the first time. Women had been banned from attending men's sporting events in the country since the 1980s but after pressure from the sports world governing body FIFA and campaigners like Maryam Shojaei change has happened. But is enough being done? We hear from fans who attended and speak to Amnesty International about what more can be done.World Mental Health Day was marked this week and 25 year old American basketball player Imani McGee Stafford opened up to us about her story. She is six foot seven inches tall and pursued a career in basketball but life was not always this rosy. She tells Shari Vahl all.The Super League Grand Final takes place with Saint Helen's facing Salford in Manchester to win the sports biggest prize in domestic rugby. But we speak to a team who are hoping to be there next year. Toronto Wolfpack have just been promoted and

For years there had been rumours. But they were just that - rumours. Then in 2015, a BBC documentary accused one of the world's top athletics coaches of being involved in widespread doping. This week, Alberto Salazar was banned from the sport for four years after an investigation by the US anti-doping agency. Salazar runs the Nike Oregon Project, which has been home to some of the world’s leading athletes, including, until two years ago, Britain’s four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah. Mark Daly, an investigative journalist for the BBC, has been following this story for more than four years. He tells Caroline the process behind making the documentary and how he got key witnesses to speak up.We’re riding the waves with one of the top names in surfing, Mercedes Maidana. In her own words, she was "truly living the dream, travelling the world chasing waves, until one incident that changed everything". In 2014, Mercedes suffered a head injury at a competition in the United States. She lost her career, sponsorship,

Michelle Payne became the first woman to take one of the world's greatest sporting prizes, shocking the world by winning the Melbourne Cup in 2015. Now the story has made it to the big screen. It highlights how Michelle defied the odds in a sport dominated by men and how she achieved a lifelong ambition. The film was released in Australia this week and Michelle was our special guest, joining Caroline to react to her momentous story made into a film.The standout moment of netball coach Tracey Neville's career was guiding England to Commonweath Games gold last year, but this week she revealed she suffered a miscarriage the day after. She has recently announced that she and her partner are expecting their first child. She's been telling the BBC's Sally Nugent why now is the time to put her family first.Tony Riddell is running from Land's End to John O'Groats, enduring 30 miles a day over a 30 day period. But this is not your average running story: Tony is doing this challenge barefoot. He tells us why.We also he

‘A testament to our Union and our country’ Canada’s Alana Gattinger is the first female Team Manager at a men’s Rugby World Cup. She’s been speaking to Sportshour ahead of their opening match against Italy in Fukuoka on Thursday.Solid Gold Hits Noah Lyles and Sandi Morris are both gold medal favourites for this month’s World Athletics Championships. But, alongside their sprinting and pole-vaulting this season, the pair have co-written, recorded and performed a song with the Swiss band, Baba Shrimps. That performance was to a crowd of 25 thousand at the Zurich Diamond League meeting – and, in Noah’s case, he picked up the microphone only an hour after winning the 100 metres.‘You’re not entitled to any of it working out, but it’s really fun to try’ Alise Willoughby is a reigning BMX World Champion, who also won Silver at the Rio Olympic Games. Her husband and coach is Sam Willoughby, who won his Silver at the London Olympics in 2012. Sam's own BMX career was ended when he suffered a life-changing injury jus

We remember Sahar Khodayari, a passionate supporter of the Iranian football team. Sahar fatally set herself alight in Tehran after her trial for attempting to enter a football stadium, disguised as a man, was postponed. Women in Iran have been stopped from going to stadiums to watch men’s sporting events since the 1980s. This caused a huge outpouring of emotion on social media using the hashtag "blue girl " - a reference to the colours of her favourite team Esteqlal. Maryam Shojaee is the sister of the national team captain Masoud. She's been campaigning tirelessly for the rule to be changed as she has been explaining to Shari. Back in February, we spoke to the Jamaican distance runner Kemoy Campbell. Kemoy collapsed while competing at a meeting in New York. He was told by doctors that he actually died on the track. When we spoke to him then, he still hoped to continue his career. But seven months on, doctors have now instructed him to retire from the sport. Shari Vahl caught up with him again this week and

Cecil Wright has played with the likes of Sir Viv Richards and Sir Gary Sobers, he has taken over 7000 wickets over 60 years but on Saturday, the 85 year old will play his final game for his village side. Shari Vahl has been to meet him.Manchester United begin life in the top flight of English women's football with the start of a new Super League season. Who better to start against than local rivals Manchester City? And where better to start than the Etihad Stadium? It's being used for a WSL game for the very first time. Sportshour speaks to Baroness Sue Campbell - Director of Women's Football for the FA about why this weekend is so significant.We're just three weeks away from the start of the World Athletics Championships in Doha. Nia Ali of the United States is one of the favourites for gold in the 100 m hurdles. She won her first global title at the World Indoor championships in 2014 after which she took time away from the sport to start a family. She tells is her story.Sepsis is known as the silent killer

Former Premier League players Matt Piper and Scott Davies talk candidly about their battles with addiction and how they hope to help educate others about prevention. Both sought help via Sporting Chance, a charity set up by former Arsenal captain Tony Adams specifically designed to help athletes with addictions.We also look ahead to the men's Basketball World Cup in China, where the USA are looking to defend their title from 2014 amidst an on-going political storm between the host nation and Hong Kong.We travel to Japan where Tokyo will become the only city to have hosted the Paralympic games twice, but are they ready to stage such an event?Manchester United's famous class of '92 take us back to school - literally! Brothers Gary and Phil Neville and their former teammates Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt are opening a university that will aim to teach the philosophies of their former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

On this week's Sportshour we hear from WWE Chief Brand officer, Stephanie McMahon on her quest to change the media coverage of women's sport. She tells us that women need to be 'persistent' and 'brave' when it comes to fighting for their rights to watch and be involved in sport. Stephanie also reveals the advice she is giving her three daughters.We go live to Headingley for day three of the Ashes Test with England needing a win to keep their hopes of winning the series alive.We travel to Capetown where so many townships are plagued by crime because they have a lack of recreational opportunities. But, we hear how things are changing thanks to the efforts of football and a local policeman.Back in October 2018, WWE Superstar Roman Reigns gave up his Universal Championship title because he had leukaemia. He is a huge figure in Wrestling and Sportshour’s Chris Latchem; who has a very personal interest in this story, has been speaking to Roman while he visited Manchester.Photo: Stephanie McMahon at the WWE press co

On this week's Sportshour we are live from Edgbaston as England and Australia battle it out in the first Ashes Test.We are joined by former England batsman Mark Ramprakash plus a host of guests to discuss their predictions on which way it will go.We hear from Barney Douglas who has directed a new cricket film called "The Edge". It takes us inside the England dressing-room before, during and after the team's dramatic rise to No.1 in the world Test rankings in 2011.Plus, a trip to Rome for an important cricket match for a different reason. We hear all about a crunch match between two rather unusual rivals: the Church of England sent the Archbishop of Canterbury's XI to Rome, to play a team from the Vatican. And Australian cricket star turned Rugby League Challenge Cup winner, Courtney Hill, gives her score predictions for the Ashes and tells us where her affiliations now lie.Photo: Steve Smith of Australia leads his teammates from the field at stumps on day one of the 1st Specsavers Ashes Test between England a

The decision to hold the world heavyweight rematch between Anthony Joshua and current world champion, Andy Ruiz, in Saudi Arabia has drawn heavy criticism from human rights groups. Joshua suffered a shock defeat in New York earlier this year and the pair will step inside the ring on the 7th of December, this time in Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh.However, the middle east country's "abysmal human rights record" has been called into question by Amnesty International UK, which urged Joshua to "inform himself of the human rights situation" ahead of the rematch. We hear from Allan Hogarth of Amnesty International and writer/broadcaster Steve Bunce.Getting on a horse for some could be a daunting experience but for Guy Mitchell, his challenge as a jockey enters a whole new perspective.He rode into sporting history last month when he became the first person with one eye to ride in a British horse race. Guy explained to Caroline that he had this burning desire to continue the racing tradition within his family an

The New Premier League Season is back! We look at the hopes and fears of fans from around the world and hear from Arsenal fans in Zimbabwe to West Ham Fans in Argentina and beyond!Caroline Barker is joined by Emily Dean, author, broadcaster and Arsenal fan. Alongside Emily is the Liverpool supporting Sport's Editor of the Guardian newspaper Sachin Nakrani.This week we have also stumbled upon a footballing revelation; even Premier League referees are human! We'd always been a little unsure. They rarely show emotion and have you ever heard one speak? Then we met Jon Moss. Turns out that once his whistle is hung up after a game his passion is music. So much so that he’s opened a record shop in the heart Headingley, the heavily student area of Leeds. Sportshour's Joel Hammer spent an hour or so sipping coffee and talking music, almost forgetting he was a Premier League referee.Sporting Witness is a fascinating tale of a footballer who has had possibly the most impact on the Premier League but who never played in

On this week's Sportshour we are live from Edgbaston as England and Australia battle it out in the first Ashes Test. We are joined by former England batsman Mark Ramprakash plus a host of guests to discuss their predictions on which way it will go.We hear from Barney Douglas who has directed a new cricket film called "The Edge". It takes us inside the England dressing-room before, during and after the team's dramatic rise to No.1 in the world Test rankings in 2011.Plus, a trip to Rome for an important cricket match for a different reason. We hear all about a crunch match between two rather unusual rivals: the Church of England sent the Archbishop of Canterbury's XI to Rome, to play a team from the Vatican. And Australian cricket star turned Rugby League Challenge Cup winner, Courtney Hill, gives her score predictions for the Ashes and tells us where her affiliations now lie.Photo: Australia"s James Pattinson appeals for a wicket (Reuters)

On this week's Sportshour we hear from single mum and open water swimmer Beth French, who attempted a physical challenge that no-one had ever done before. She set out to conquer Oceans Seven, a challenge consisting of the seven most dangerous sea-channels in the world. Her efforts have been turned into a film called Against the Tides and she tells us about her journey, coming face to face with jellyfish and sharks, battling extreme conditions and deciding to give up with the finishing line in sight. All whilst living with M.E. (a.k.a. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).We also go live to Paris for the end of the Tour De France and discuss who will win the yellow jersey. Sporting Witness heads back thirty years to the closest finish in the races history, when American Greg Lemond took the yellow jersey by just 8 seconds.Whilst still playing in the NHL, Nathan Dempsey developed Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disorder that affects the nervous system. He believes playing hockey played a part in his condition and shar

Exactly a year out from the Tokyo Olympics we hear from sprinter James Ellington who runs his first race on Saturday since a horrific motorbike accident nearly killed him two years ago.

Live at Wimbledon ahead of the Women's final and preview Sunday's Cricket World Cup final. We also head live to the Netball World Cup on it's opening weekend and meet the man who hitchhiked the length of Africa to cheer on his team at the Africa Cup of Nations, and ended up staying in the team hotel!Plus we ride the route of the unusual stage 12 of the Tour De France. The race is famous for being set against the backdrop of impossibly beautiful villages and medieval city centers and picturesque French countryside... In fact it was originally set up to promote France as a vacation destination. So Stage 12 on Wednesday is likely to come as a bit of shock. The race is starting among the crumbling tower blocks of a gritty housing estate in Toulouse - more used to making the headlines for urban violence and stark poverty. Chris Bockman reports from southern France, tour organizers were persuaded by local residents that they deserved to be the limelight too.Photo: The Venus Rosewater Dish trophy for winning the Wom

We're live in Lyon to preview the Women's World Cup final between Netherlands and USA.Photo: Megan Rapinoe Credit Getty Images

We go live to France to hear how the hosts got on when they faced USA in the quarter finals of the Women's World Cup. We also hear from Brenda Elsy, one of the authors of a new book Futbolera: A History of Women and Sports in Latin America. She discusses why she thinks no team from South America have made it through to the last eight of the competition.The New York Yankees will take on the Boston Red Sox at London's Olympic Stadium this weekend. It will be the first time a MBL game has taken place in Europe. We hear from the New York Yankees commentator Suzy Waldman who shares her own story of how she made it to baseball from the bright lights of Broadway.The Africa Cup of Nations continues in Egypt this weekend with seven games in total. We hear from Ghana player Christian Atsu who is at the tournament, he explains how he is helping penal reform back in his home country.Photo: Marta of Brazil looks on during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Round Of 16 match between France and Brazil (Getty Images)

As the Women's World Cup continues in France we meet the female commentators from Fiji and Vanuatu making history. Adele Willie, Jennesa Hinge Moli and Lavenia Yalovi, have been breaking new ground for women in the region, by broadcasting radio commentary of New Zealand's games in the languages of Bislama, iTaukei Fijian and Pacific English to listeners across the South Pacific. The three women are graduates of a training programme held in Fiji to help develop female sports commentators across the South Pacfic and were invited to the tournament by FIFA. There's no United States team at the Cricket World Cup which is is of course the summer sport of choice for most Americans. But there was a time when cricket occupied that place. Could it do so again, and how transferable are the skills? Could a major league baseball player become a top cricketer? Richard Fleming in Colorado has been investigating.Track and Field Athletics is regarded as the most pure of sports - running, jumping, throwing; it's also one

The United States recorded the biggest ever victory in the Fifa Women's World Cup as they thrashed Thailand 13-0. We are in France with our reporters Sarah Mulkerrins and Maz Farookhi to reflect on the opening week of the tournament. The former US striker Tiffeny Milbrett also joined us to assess USA's chances of defending their World Cup title.We also meet the French football freestylers whose moves are inspired by hip-hop, breakdance and the 'legendary' Brazilian, Ronaldhino.The Le Mans 24 hour race draws drivers from across the globe and this year, more drivers are entered than ever before...So what does it take to win such a gruelling race? Well who better to explain than three times winner Andre Lotterer.Triple Olympic champion Peter Snell tells how the competitive bug never fades even aged 80 as he competes in table tennis at the National Senior Games!With India taking on Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup on Sunday, we'll speak to two fans who's friendship formed through the game despite supporting riva

With the Women’s World Cup underway in France, Shari Vahl is joined by the BBC's Sarah Mulkerrins and Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, sports writer, historian and author as we look at what will make this a successful tournament. Plus we hear from Spanish defender Celia Jiménez Delgado who has big ambitions away from football, she aims to become an aerospace engineer when she retires. We also spend time with Banyana Banyana, the South African's national team.Plus we meet the Toronto Raptors biggest fan, and no it's not Drake. Plus former Boston Bruin Nathan Dempsey on the Stanley CupPhoto: Celia Jimenez of Spain and Emma Koivisto of Finland compete for the ball (Getty Images)